Cumberland River

Cumberland River
Canoers on the Cumberland River upstream from Cumberland Falls
Cumberland River watershed (Interactive map)
Location
Country	United States
State	Kentucky, Tennessee
Cities	Barbourville, KY Williamsburg, KY Burkesville, KY Carthage, TN Nashville, TN Clarksville, TN Dover, TN
Physical characteristics
Source	Confluence of the Poor Fork, Clover Fork and Martins Fork
• location	Harlan, Kentucky
• coordinates	36°50′42″N 83°19′26″W / 36.84500°N 83.32389°W / 36.84500; -83.32389[1]
• elevation	1,158 ft (353 m)
Mouth	Ohio River
• location	Livingston County, Kentucky
• coordinates	37°08′36″N 88°24′27″W / 37.14333°N 88.40750°W / 37.14333; -88.40750[1]
• elevation	302 ft (92 m)
Length	688 mi (1,107 km)[2]
Basin size	17,728 sq mi (45,920 km2)[3]
Discharge
• location	below Barkley Dam, about 31 mi (50 km) from the mouth[4]
• average	37,250 cu ft/s (1,055 m3/s)[4]
• minimum	6,085 cu ft/s (172.3 m3/s)
• maximum	209,000 cu ft/s (5,900 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Martins Fork, Clear Fork, Big South Fork, Obey River, Caney Fork River, Stones River, Harpeth River
• right	Clover Fork, Poor Fork, Laurel River, Rockcastle River, Red River, Little River

The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States. The 688-mile-long (1,107 km)^[2] river drains almost 18,000 square miles (47,000 km²) of southern Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. The river flows generally west from a source in the Appalachian Mountains to its confluence with the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky, and the mouth of the Tennessee River. Major tributaries include the Obey, Caney Fork, Stones, and Red Rivers.

Although the Cumberland River basin is predominantly rural, there are also some large cities on the river, including Nashville and Clarksville, both in Tennessee.

The river system has been extensively altered for flood control. Major dams impound areas of both the main stem and many of its important tributaries.